Eyeglass construction



May 27, 1941; G. E. NERNEY EYEGL-IASS CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 24, 1940 Patented May 27, 1941 7 barren stares smear orrlcs EYEGLASS CONSTRUCTION George E. Nerney, Attleboro, Mass, assignor to Bay State Optical Company, Attlcboro, Mass, a corporation of Maine Application February 24, 1940, Serial No. 320,602

6 Claims. (01. 88-43) This invention relates to eyeglass construction and more particularly to an eyeglass frame formed from a plastic material.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly practical eyeglass construction, Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which will be neat and attractive in appearance. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character having a minimum of parts and being capable of easy assembly. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which may be readily and inexpensively manufactured in large quantities. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which is sturdy and durable under the strain of extended use. mother object is to provide a construction of the above character wherein the metallic parts are concealed to a great extent to give a pleasing effect. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character wherein the metallic parts are reliably secured .to the plastic material. Other objects will'be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. r

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and'lthe scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

. .In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

Figure l is a front elevation of an eyeglass frame, certain of the parts thereof being broken away;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the frame shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the frame shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line l-l of Figure 3.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawins.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of this invention, it might here be pointed out that in eyeglass frames or the like, and more particularly in non-metallic frames in which metallic fittings are used, considerable difiiculty has been experienced in providing a connection between the fittings and the non-metallic frame. For example, in making connections of this type, due to the character of the materials, it is diflicult to obtain a joinder between the fittings and the frame which will not loosen after continued usage, such loosening being difiicult andsometimes impossible to correct. A further difficulty has been experienced in that when a metal fitting has been made of sufficient size to make a strong connectionwith the non-metallic frame, it detracted from the frames appearance. This was caused by the fact that plastic materials are usually partially or, completely transparent, and thus the parts comprising a fittingare visible. One of the objects of this invention is toprovide a construction wherein the above difiiculties, as Well as many others, are effectively overcome.

Referring now to the drawing, in Figure 1 there is shown the center portion of a nonmetallic frame comprising rims lo'and H connected by a bridge generally indicated at I3. The frame is preferably made from zylonite or the like and has a nose guard fitting generally indicated at it connected to bridge I3 in a manner to be disclosed more fully hereinafter.

As rnay be best seen in Figure 2, bridge l3 has a slot i5 cut therein, preferably in a plane substantially horizontal with respect to the nor mal position of the frame when worn. This slot preferably extends substantially throughout the length of the bridge and passes from the front to theback thereof, as may be seen in Figure 4.

Nose guard fitting it (Figure 2) comprises a metalpart it having a pair of depending portions generally indicated at lta and iii?) formed thereon. Metal part 15 preferably is of the same width as bridge 43, and its length and thickness are substantially the same as the length and thickness of slot l5. Extending through and along substantially the entire length of part 'lt is'an opening I] which is adapted to receive snugly and be filled by an insert 25 of a plastic material such as zylonite.

To secure nose guard fitting it to bridge I3,

; insert 25 is placed in opening I! in part it, and

the part and the insert are first coated with lacquer and then dipped in ethyl acetate, which softens the outer surface of insert 25. While the plastic insert is in this softened state, part It and insert 25 are inserted in slot [5 in bridge l3, and the upper and lower portions of the ,bridge are pressed together. This pressure 7 causes the ethyl acetate on insert 25 and on the surfaces of part It to contact and soften the abutting surfaces of slot l5. As the ethyl acetate evaporates, insert 25 fuses to the upper and lower surfaces of slot l5, and the bridge becomes an integral member having a section extending through the center of part I6. Furthermore, the lacquer and ethyl acetate on the surfaces of part l6, contacting the sides of slot I5, form a bond which securely connects the metal part to the non-metallic frame.

Depending portions 16a and l6b are preferably connected to the inner corners of part I6 and extend downwardly therefrom, following the rear surfaces of rims l and Il, respectively,

and terminating in the form of brackets 2! and 22. These brackets 2| and 22 extend rearwardly away from rims l0 and II (Figure 3) and toward each other (Figure l) and. provide mountings for a pair of nose guards l9 and 29. Nose guards l9 and are loosely mounted upon suitable rivets 23 and 24, which permit the nose guards to assume the proper position to fit .the

nose of the wearer.

Thus I have provided a nose guard fitting for a non-metallic frame which has a minimum of parts and thus may be easily and quickly assembled. At the same time, a nose guard fitting has been devised which is well adapted to withstand any strains which may be placed thereupon by hard usage. Furthermore, a fitting has been provided for a non-metallic frame in which a minimum of the metal part connecting the fitting to the frame is visible, thus enhancing the appearance of the frame.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a thoroughly practical, eflicient, and durable construction in which the several objects disclosed hereinabove, as well as many others, have been successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a bridge formed from a plastic material, and a fiat metal part embedded in said bridge in substantially a horizontal plane with respect to the normal position of the frame when worn and extending substantially across said bridge, said part having a vertical opening of substantial size formed therein, said opening extending substantially throughout the length of said metal part, said plastic material extending through said opening, and a pair of nose guards secured to said part.

2. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a bridge formed from a plastic material and having a slot therein, a fiat metal part mounted in said slot having a substantially vertical opening of substantial size formed therein and being positioned in substantially a horizontal plane with respect to the normal position of the frame when worn, said opening extending substantially throughout the length of said metal part, a piece of plastic material substantially filling said opening, means securing said piece of plastic material'to the sides of said slot, and a pair of nose guards connected to said metal part.

3. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a bridge formed from a plastic material and having a slot therein, an elongated fiat metal part positioned in said slot and having a vertical opening of substantial size formed therein, said fiat metal part being positioned in substantially a horizontal plane with respect to the normal position of the frame when worn, said plastic material extending through said opening in said part and thus securing said part to said bridge, a pair of nose guard arms extending downwardly from the rear edge of said metal part, a pair of nose guards, and means securing said nose guards to said downwardly extending nose guard arms.

4. In eyeglass construction, in combination, an eyeglass frame formed from a material plastic in character and including a non-metallic bridge having an elongated slot extending therethrough, an elongated fiat metal part mounted in said slot and having an elongated opening of substantial size extending therethrough, a separate piece of plastic material in the opening in said part substantially completely filling said opening and being fused to the sides of said slot, and a pair of nose guards connected to said part.

5. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a n eyeglass frame formed from a material plastic in character and including a non-metallic bridge having a slot formed therein, an elongated metal part mounted in said slot and having an opening of substantial size formed therein, a separate piece of plastic material filling the opening in said part and being fused to the side walls of said slot, and a pair of nose guards connected to said part.

6. In eyeglass construction, in combination, a bridge formed from a plastic material and hav ing a slot therein in substantially a horizontal plane with respect to the normal position of the frame when worn, a flat metal part positioned in said slot and having a vertical opening of substantial size formed therein, a flat plastic material insert positioned in said opening and having its exposed sides flat and flush with the flat sides of said metal part, said piece of plastic material being fused to the side walls of said slot, and a pair of nose guards connected to said part.

GEORGE E. NERNEY. 

